Sophia Smith, Liam Payne's New Girlfriend, Is Making One Direction Fans Cry On Twitter [PHOTOS]

Ever since One Direction member Liam Payne confirmed Monday that childhood friend Sophia Smith is his new girlfriend, Twitter fans can’t stop crying over the development.

Liam, 19, confirmed Monday that he’s in a relationship with Sophia, his schoolmate from St. Peter’s Collegiate in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, to Yahoo! omg! while doing press for 1D’s upcoming concert film, “One Direction: This Is Us.”

The revelation occurred after the gossip site asked the British boy band who their flirtiest member is.

"I'm not because I've got a girlfriend,” replied Louis Tomlinson, who’s been with girlfriend Eleanor Calder for about two years.

“And me,” added Liam. He then pointed to Sophia, who was sitting near the group.

Asked again about having a girlfriend, he said, "Yes, yes I do. She's sitting right over there. It's not been long."

Apparently Liam is so enamored with his new girlfriend that he recently put Sophia on a flight from the U.K. to Los Angeles, where One Direction was performing. He reportedly fell in love because Sophia knew him before he was famous.

“She’s a sweet, normal girl who likes Liam for who he is, not because he’s in the most famous boy band in the world,” a source told the Daily Mail of Sophia.

Sophia says as much on her Twitter profile, where she describes herself as "Just a normal british [sic] girl who enjoys a lovely cup of tea."

Sophia is Liam’s first confirmed girlfriend since the One Direction member split with his ex, 24-year-old dancer Danielle Peazer. Harassment on social media played a role in the breakup, he told Glamour magazine.

“Yeah, that’s something that is quite hard -- people being a bit rude to [Danielle] on the Internet,” Liam said “And it’s a challenge having a relationship on the road.”

As news of Liam’s new girlfriend hit Twitter, Directioners weren’t harsh on Sophia, although they didn’t hide how upset they were over the revelation: